Velocipede



- (No Model.)

H. THRESHER.

- VBLOGIPBDB.

No. 366,703. Patented July 19,1887.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY IIIRESHER, OF LONDON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR- TO ALBERT II. OVERMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,703, dated July 19, 1887.

Application tiled May 17, i887. Serial No. 228,456. (No model.) Pati'nted in England April 2l, 185:5, No. 4,906.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that l, HARRY Tiumsnnn, a subject ot' the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, in the county of Middlesex, lflngland, have invented certain new and usefnl Improvements in Velocipedes, (for which I have received Letters Iatent in Great Britain No. 4,906, dated April 21, 1385,) of which the following is a full and complete specification.

My invention relates to the construction of the fork or frame for carrying the steering or trailing wheel ot" a bicycle, tricycle, or other velocipcde; and it has for its object the suppression and isolation ot' vibration by constructing the fork or frame carrying the wheel in such a manner that the end ot it carrying the wheel may vibrate in a vertical plane without at'l'ecti ng the part of the main fraaie of the machine to which it is attached.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings illustrates the application of my invention to a front-steering tricycle, l'rom which its application to other types ot" velocipedes will be obvious to any one conversant with the con struction of these machines. Fig. 2 is a side elevation o1" my improved fork or frame for carrying the wheel, and Fig. 3 is a plan thereol.

Throughout the several views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.

Instead of mounting the axle carrying the steering or trailing wheel oi' a veloeipedc ina vertical or approximately vertical fork, I mount the axle a, carrying` the wheel A, in a quadrantal or approximately quad rantal frame, consisting` of a horizontal fork, B, and a curved tube, O, the latter of which is riveted and brazed or otherwise fixed to the root of the fork A, so as to form one fraaie. The fork B is preferably made ot' spring-steel, so that it is lexible in the vertical plane only. The tube C is preferably made of a crescent section, so that it has the appearance 0l and also acts as a mudguard. rIhe curve of the tube C is Sli gh t-l y larger than that of the wheel, so that there is greater clearance between the wheel and the tube at the top than at the bottom, so as to allow room for the play of the wheel, due to the vibration ot the horizontal fork. rlhe free end ot' the tube O is fixed to the main frame ot' a velocipede, as illustrated by Fig. I of the accompanying drawings, or in any other equivalent manner, if the wheel is the steering-wheel ofa frontsteeringbicyele, tricycle, or other velocipede; but it' my invention is applied to the trailingwheel of a bicycle, tricyle, or other veloeipede the top or free end of the tube C is fixed or attached to the end of the backbone of such machine.

Instead of making C of a tubular crescent section, it may be made of a half-round scction, or it may be solid and form merely an cxtension of the horizontal `fork B. Another modification consists of making C of two small tubes or bars trussed and stayed together by suitable stays or clamps.

It will be seen that a wheel mounted in a frame as hereiubetore described will rise more readily over obstacles on the road, and, owing to the elasticity ofthe fork, will do so with less shock to the machine, and consequently with less vibration, than it it were mounted in an ordinary vertical fork.

It will be apparent that my invention is applicable to all types of velocipedes, whether steered directly or indirectly by a transverse handle-bar or by a side spade-handle througha rack and pinion, butas myinvention only relates to the method of mounting and carrying the steering or trailing wheel, and not to a method of controlling it, I have omitted all reference to any other parts of a velocipede other than those directly connected with my invention.

I am aware that the steering and trailing wheels ot' velocipedes have already been mounted in stift' horizontal forks, and there fore I do not broadly claim mounting a wheel in a horizontal fork; but, i

Having fully set forth myinvention and dcscribed how it may be carried into practical et't'ect, I declare that what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters 'Patent is* 1. In a velocipede, aquadrantal or approximately quadrantal frame consisting, essentially, of a horizontal fork and a curved extension,A the ends oll the fork carrying a wheel of the vehicle and the Afree end of the extension being attached to the frame thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In a velocipede, a frame consisting of a ICO horizontal spring-fork and a curved tubular extension, the free ends of the fork carrying a Wheel of the vehicle and the free end of the tubular extension being attached to the frame thereof, substantially as set fo x-th.

3. In a, veloeipede, a frame consisting of a horizontal spring-fork and a curved tubular extension of crescent section, the free ends of the fork carrying a wheel of the vehicle and the free end of the extension being attached to the frame of the vehicle, substantially as set forth.

4. In a velocipede, the Combination, With a steering-wheel and a steering-head, of a frame consisting of a horizontal spring-fork and a 15V HARRY THRESHER.

4 Witnesses:

Rom. ED. PHILLIPs, EDWARD C. HAMMOND. 

